Fly-fan



(No Model.)

S. G. STODDARD.

Fly Pan. No. 229,337. Pafented June 29,1880.

itnessrs: uhmtur:

. iJNITED STATES PATENT CFFI E.

SAMUEL G. STODDARD, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO SAMUEL W. LAMBETH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLY-FAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,337, dated June 29, 1880,

Application filed March 20, 1880.

To all whom a may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL G. STODDARD,

State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fly-Fans, which improvement is fully set forth in the follow-.

ing specification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a fly-fan embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in line mm, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section in line y y, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention relates to improvements in fans which have arms connected to a staff, the rotation whereof is occasioned by a train of gearing, after the manner of clock-work, the motion of the blades which are attached to said arms serving to frighten flies and other insects.

and expeditious manner and securely hold the fan-blades in upright or folded positions.

It also consists of a spring-stop rendered operative when the blades are removed and inoperative when the blades areapplied in position.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a twopart staff or shaft rising from a stand or base, B, containinga mechanical power, such as clock-work, for rotating said staff, as is well known in the class of fly-fans.

C represents a collar or piece clamped to the upper section of the staff, and adapted to be raised and lowered, so that the arms D of the fan-blades, hinged to a flanged plate, E, on the top of said collar or piece, may be adjusted relatively to the height required for the fan-blades.

Secured to the arms D, on what are the up per faces when the blades are extended, are spring-clasps F,.which are so disposed that when the blades are to be folded, and accordingly raised to upright positions, the clasps (No model.)

embrace the staff A, and thus hold the blades in said positions. When the blades are to be unfolded or render service they are drawn away from the staff, and as the power of the spring-clasps is overcome the blades readily assume operative positions. The clasps may be shiftable on the arms for purposes of adjustment.

It will be noticed that the plate E at the top of the collar or piece 0 is flanged, and the flanges are turned up from the base of said plate. The inner ends of the arms are pivoted to said flanges, and the adjacent portions of said arms rest on the base of the plate when the blades are in operative positions, so that the flanged plate, being, as it were, crimped, provides a strong structure for the attachment of the blade-arms and alongbearing for the said arms, whereby the latter are firmly sustained.

Gr represents a catch, which is let into the upper end of the lower section of the staff A, and consists of a piece of metal, preferably wire, secured at its top to said section of the staff, then extends diagonally, and is bent to form a nose, a, at bottom, the end 12 passing freely through an opening, 0, in the staff-section, the catch being adapted to engage with the stop lever or arm H of the fan, which, consisting of a piece of wire connected to the stand or base, and by means of shoulders at the top of said stand, may be held against the catch or held back therefrom, so that the fan may be stopped or permitted to rotate.

The upper section of the staff A has fixed to its lower end the sleeve J, which is fitted on the top of the lower section of the staff, and consequently over the spring-catch G, thus forcing in the nose to.

When the fan is. running, and it is desired to stop the same, the stop-lever H is directed against the catch G, thus preventing rotation of the staff A, and the fan-blades may be removed by lifting the sleeve J from the lower section of the staff A. Should, however, any one lift the fan-blades without operating the stoplever H, the displacement of the sleeve J releases the catch G, which flies out from the groove which it is let into, and its nose at strikes said lever H, thus stopping the rotation of the lower section of the spindle and preventing its running away.

When it is desired to operate the fan the sleeve J is titted in position on the lower section of the staff", thus drawing in the catch G and moving its nose clear of the stop-lever H, whereby the rotation of the staff is im1nediately occasioned.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the rotary staff or spindle A, of the fan-arms D, provided with the spring-clasps F, which are open on one side and adapted to engage with said spindle by lateral pressure.

2. The sleeve J, in combination with the r0- tary staff A, stop H, and spring-catch Gr, whereby the removal of said sleeve allows the spring-catch to automatically stop the shaft, substantially as set forth.

SAMUEL G. STODDARD.

Witnesses L. M. SEGEE, H. D. STANLEY, 

